To support its members on that journey, the PGA has launched the new Scope of Practice Implementation Hub (the Hub), which is now live.
The Hub has been developed as a practical resource to assist members prepare for and embed scope services, bringing together implementation tools, checklists and guidance to support the whole pharmacy team.
Into practice
Expanded scope represents one of most significance changes in community pharmacy practice in many years.
For patients, it means improved access to timely care for a range of everyday health conditions.
For pharmacies, it provides new opportunities to strengthen their role in primary healthcare.
Successful implementation requires more than the clinical qualification alone.
Pharmacies need to consider pharmacy operations: workflow, consultation room readiness, clinical governance team roles, appointment systems, documentation, service sustainability and communication strategies.
The new online site has been created to help members work through these areas in a structured and practical way.
The whole team
But the new online offering is not only for pharmacists who are already qualified to prescribe.
For pharmacy owners, it offers guidance on the business, operational and governance requirements of introducing expanded scope services.
For pharmacy managers, it offers support to help coordinate team readiness, patient flow, service processes and day-to-day implementation.
For prescribing pharmacists, the Hub supports the transition from training to confident service delivery and embedding consultations into pharmacy workflows.
For pharmacy assistants, it highlights the important role the broader team plays in patient engagement, service awareness, booking support and triage.
And for pharmacists considering training, the Hub shows the training pathways and what providing consultation looks like in practice.
Helping pharmacists prepare
Every pharmacy will be at a different point in its scope journey.
The Hub is designed to meet pharmacies where they are.
Resources cover areas including strategy and readiness, education and training, premises and operational preparation, legislation and governance, services implementation, clinical resources and marketing and communications.
The aim is to help pharmacies identify gaps early and prepare the pharmacy and team for when the prescribing pharmacist is ready to practice so that access to clinical services becomes what patients expect, and what the pharmacy can deliver.
The expansion of pharmacist scope of practice is an opportunity for community pharmacy to improve access to care for communities in Australia.
The Hub gives members a central place to start, plan, review and strengthen their approach to servicing their communities.
